From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishatonea‧tone /əˈtəʊn $ əˈtoʊn/ verb [intransitive] formal REGRET/FEEL SORRYto do something to show that you are sorry for having done something wrongatone for Richard was anxious to atone for his thoughtlessness.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
atone• As always, too, his thoughts turned quickly to find some way of atoning.• For these she would not atone.• In a few short but intense years we began to atone for centuries of environmental degradation.• Ma'am, what would you have me do to atone for my sin?• Sins which can cause our soul to be lost for ever in hell need to be atoned for, need to be covered.• For the most part, they listened respectfully as community leaders and peers encouraged everyone to atone, unite and reconcile.Origin atone (1500-1600) at one “in agreement” 